Portable tank spraying apparatus



Sept. 8, 1964 H- D; SMALLEY PORTABLE TANK SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed June 13, 1962 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HARVEY D. S'mLLz'Y mmwm PW ATTOZQLEW Sept. 8, 1964 Filed June 13, 1962 H. D. SMALLEY PORTABLE TANK SPRAYING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HA VEY D. JWALLZY WM PM ATTOENE Y5 United States Patent Wee 3,147,?23 PQRTABLE TANK SPRAYING APPARATUS Harvey D. Smalley, Perharn, Minn. Filed June 13, 1962, Ser. No.202,255 1 Claim. (Cl. 239-373) This invention relates to a portable, pressurized solvent dispensing apparatus for use in cleaning printing presses.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel, portable, solvent dispensing apparatus, of simple and inexpensive construction, for use in spraying a liquid solvent upon printing press rolls to thereby permit rapid removal of ink therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved solvent dispensing apparatus of compact portable construction to thereby facilitate carrying thereof, and including a tank for containing a predetermined amount of liquid ink solvent, and a means for permitting the unfilled volumetric space of the tank to be filled with air to exert a predetermined air pressure on the solvent, and conduit means having a blow gun mechanism whereby an operator may readily spray the solvent upon the various parts of a printing press for the removal of ink therefrom.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a solvent dispensing apparatus of the class described wherein the solvent tank is provided with a relief valve means and an air pressure indicator gauge means to permit a user to accurately and safely introduce the desired air pressure to the tank, and wherein the apparatus is provided with a pressure reducing valve so that a constant pressure may be maintained at the blow gun mechanism whereby a more efiicient application of the solvent upon the printing press rolls may be accomplished.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like character references refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which;

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the invention with parts thereof broken away for clarity and with other parts thereof being foreshortened to more clearly illustrate the construction thereof; and

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a printing press and of the solvent dispensing apparatus illustrating a manner in which the ink solvent is applied to the printing press rolls.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 1, it will be seen that one embodiment of my invention is there shown. My novel ink solvent dispensing apparatus, designated generally by the reference numeral 1@, includes an elongate substantially cylindrical closed tank 11 constructed of rigid metalic material and defining a solvent receiving chamber 12 therewithin. The tank 11 is provided with a pair of legs 13 which are secured to the lower external suriace thereof as by welding and are positioned adjacent opposite ends of the tank. These legs 13 permit the tank to be positioned upon a supporting surface so that the tank is maintained in a predetermined position. A U-shaped carrying handle 14 is rigidly affixed to the upper surface of the tank at a centrally located position so that the entire apparatus may be readily carried from one location to another.

The tank chamber 12 serves to receive a predetermined amount of liquid solvent therein, and this solvent is introduced through an inlet 15 formed in the upper surface thereof. It will be noted that the inlet 15 is internally threaded and is closed by male threaded closure member 16. It is pointed out that the closure member 16 sealingly engages the inlet 15 to form an air seal therewith when the closure member is in the closed condition.

It will further be noted that when the tank chamber 3,147,923 Patented Sept. 8, 1964 12 is only partially filled with the liquid solvent S so that an unfilled volumetric space is left above the level of the liquid solvent, means are provided for introducing air under pressure into this unfilled volumetric space of the tank chamber so that a predetermined air pressure is exerted against the surface of the liquid solvent S. This means includes an internally threaded upstanding boss 17 which is integrally formed with the tank 11 adjacent one end thereof. One branch 19 of a cross 18 is threadedly secured to the internally threaded boss 17 in air sealing relation therewith. Another branch 2% of the cross 18 has an air inlet valve mechanism 21 secured thereto in fluid sealing relation therewith. This air inlet valve mechanism 21 is of the type which is normally urged to close condition but is readily opened when connected to a conventional air outlet fitting carried by the conventional air hose conduit so that air under pressure may be introduced into the tank 12.

Means are provided to permit an operator to determine when the desired air pressure within the tank 12 is obtained and this means includes an air pressure indicator gauge 22 which is secured to a branch 23 of the cross 18. The other branch 24 of the cross 18 is provided with an air relief valve 25 to automatically permit the escape of air therethrough when a predetermined pressure is exceeded.

The liquid solvent is discharged from the tank 11 through a tubular pipe member 26 which extends vertically from the interior of the tank and projects outwardly therefrom. It will be noted that the lower end of the pipe 26 engages the lower inner surface of the tank chamber 12 and is recessed as at 27 to permit the liquid solvent to flow through the lower end thereof. The upper end of the pipe 26 has an elbow type fitting 28 secured thereto. In order to control the pressure of the solvent being discharged from the tank 11, a pressure reducing valve mechanism 29 is provided and is connected in flow controlling relation with elbow fitting 28. This pressure reducing valve mechanism 29, which is preferably of the type known in the trade as the Watts #61, is provided with a manually operable control element 30 so that the valve mechanism may be readily varied by the user to vary and control the pressure of the liquid solvent passing therethrough.

An elongate flexible discharge conduit or hose 31, preferably constructed of rubber or the like, is connected at one end thereof in communicating relation with the pressure reducing valve 29 and is connected at its other end in communication relation with a valve or blow gun mechanism 32. This valve mechanism 32, in the embodiment shown, is preferably the model 41B manufactured by the Tru-flate Company and is provided with valve means for controlling the flow of solvent there/through. The valve means is actuated by valve actuator element 33, the latter being vertically movable between valve open and close position. This valve actuator element 33, which is normally urged to the closed position is controlled by an actuator control member 34 which is pivotally mounted on the valve mechanism 32 as at 35.

Detachably secured to the valve mechanism 32 in communication therewith is a nozzle mechanism 36 having a V-jet nozzle element 37 for producing a fan-shaped spray. This nozzle mechanism 36 is preferably of the type manufactured and produced by Spray Systems Inc.

When the solvent dispensing apparatus is used to clean the rolls and other various parts of the printing presses, the tank 11 is partially filled with a suitable solvent. In the embodiment shown, the tank dimensions are 5 x 21 inches, and this tank is supplied with approximately one and one half gallons of solvent so that the solvent only partially fills the tank. Air is also introduced into the tank chamber 12 through the air inlet valve mechanism 21 until the air pressure exerted on the surface of the liquid solvent is approximately thirty pounds p.s.i. This can be readily determined by the air pressure indicator gauge 22. The pressure relief valve 25 is preferably set to open at forty-five pounds per square inch of pressure so that the danger of the tank being supplied with too much air is precluded. The pressure reducing valve mechanism 29 is then adjusted so that the pressure which the liquid solvent is discharged is approximately between 12 and 15 pounds. The operator may then readily carry the portable apparatus to the printing press to be cleaned and may depress the control member 34 so that a fan spray is discharged therefrom as shown in FIG. 2. It will be noted that the printing press P illustrated in FIG. 2 includes a plurality of rolls R, some or all or" which may be coated with the ink used in the previous printing operation. Ordinarily many of the conventional printing presses have as many as 6 to 12 rollers which must be cleaned if in a subsequent operation a different kind, color form of ink is to be used. The solvent is merely sprayed upon the printing press rolls until the rolls are substantially covered with the solvent and the operator then turns the printing press on so that the solvent is evenly distributed over the roll and penetrates the ink thereon. The operator may then merely wipe the rolls clean of ink with a suitable fabric rag or cloth whereby the printing press rolls will be cleansed of the ink thereon. By adjusting the pressure reducing valve 29, a constant pressure is maintained at the nozzle V-jet element 37, so that very efficient cleaning of the printing press rolls may be obtained. Heretofore printing press rolls were cleaned by manually applying the solvent to each individual roll which was a very time consuming operation. It will be seen that when a printing press is rendered inoperative for the purpose of cleaning, it is essential to reduce the time necessary to complete the cleaning operation to a minimum. With my novel ink dispensing apparatus the time required to clean the ink rolls and in some instances the ink distributing table of printing presses may be accomplished in a matter of minutes so that the time lost during the cleaning operations is almost negligible.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a novel portable solvent dispensing apparatus which is arranged and constructed to permit a user to readily apply a solvent to all of the parts of a printing press to be cleaned in very short time and with a minimum effort thereby resulting in a substantial saving in time and labor.

It will further be seen that my novel dispensing apparatus is of compact construction so that the user may readily carry the dispensing apparatus from one location to another.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a novel pressurized ink dispensing apparatus which is not only of simple and inexpensive construction but which functions in a more efficient manner than any heretofore known comparable devices.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention which consists of the matter shown and described herein and set forth in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A portable, pressurized solvent dispensing apparatus for cleaning printing presses, said apparatus comprising,

an elongate substantially cylindrical, closed tank defining a chamber therewithin for containing a predetermined amount of liquid solvent therein so that the liquid solvent only partially fills the volumetric space of the chamber,

an opening in said tank communicating with the chamher thereof for permitting liquid solvent to be introduced into said chamber,

removable closure means for closing said opening,

an air inlet mechanism mounted on the upper surface of the tank adjacent one end thereof and including a vertically extending air inlet, communicating with the chamber, the lower end of the inlet element being substantially coextensive with the inner upper surface of the tank and being connectible to a source of air under pressure to permit the unfilled volumetric space of the tank to be charged with air so that a predetermined air pressure is exerted upon the surface of the liquid solvent, said air inlet mechanism including a pressure relief valve element connected in communicating relation with said inlet element to permit the escape of air therethrough when a predetermined air pressure has been exceeded,

an elongate, vertically disposed tubular member having one end thereof engaging the lower surface of said tank chamber below the level of the liquid solvent therein and having the other end thereof projecting outwardly of the upper surface of said tank adjacent the other end thereof, the lower end of said tubular member being recessed to permit the liquid solvent to flow thereinto and through,

a pressure reducing valve mechanism connected in flow control relation with the other end of said tubular member for varying the pressure of the liquid solvent through the latter,

an elongate flexible conduit having one end connected to the pressure reducing valve mechanism in communicating relation therewith and projecting therefrom,

a nozzle mechanism connected in communicating relation with the other end of said flexible conduit and having a spray producing nozzle element for producing a fan-shaped spray of the liquid solvent dis charged therethrough,

and a manually operable valve mechanism arranged in flow controlling relation with respect to said nozzle mechanism and movable between nozzle open and closed positions, said tubular member, pressure reducing valve mechanism, conduit, nozzle mechanism, and nozzle valve mechanism defining an exteriorly opening continuous passage communicating solely with the interior of the tank whereby only liquid solvent is introduced into the passage and is dispensed therefrom, so that an operator may spray the liquid solvent upon the rolls of a printing press for removal of ink therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 634,524 Franklin Oct. 10, 1899 1,805,632 Milar May 19, 1931 1,860,136 Bunch May 24, 1932 1,986,444 McIntosh Jan. 1, 1935 2,099,828 Seat Nov. 23, 1937 2,210,934 Gleason Aug. 13, 1940 2,546,808 Wood et al Mar. 27, 1951 2,648,569 Vose Aug. 11, 1953 2,841,060 Coppage July 1, 1958 2,931,580 Johnson Apr. 5, 1960 2,954,935 Stearns et al Oct. 4, 1960 2,959,358 Vork Nov. 8, 1960 3,002,695 Matthewson Oct. 3, 1961 3,008,852 Valiulis Nov. 14, 1961 3,009,469 Cunningham Nov. 21, 1961. 3,018,200 Huddle Jan. 23, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 161,558 Australia June 11, 1953 

